Sales of Personal Data on Consumer Credit Reports Draw Scrutiny

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s plan to restrict the sale of personal details that top consumer credit reports is pitting privacy advocates who want to shield such information against business groups who say there are legitimate reasons for sharing it.

The agency’s interest in what’s known as “credit header” data is part of a broader effort to crack down on data brokers that gather and sell information about consumers and their finances, often without their knowledge. Much of today’s data broker market runs on personally identifying information taken from credit reports compiled by Equifax Inc., Experian Plc, and ...